Local racers from Waynedale and Rittman to compete in national Soap Box Derby races

The All-American Soap Box Derby week started at Derby Downs in Akron on Sunday. There was a parade on Monday and followed up by races throughout this week. It culminates on Saturday, July 22 at 8:30 a.m., when the first heat of the 85th First Energy All-American Soap Box Derby takes off.

For locals Alexis Jordan, from Waynedale, and Meredith Brown, from Rittman, it’s the pinnacle of their sport and something they and their families have both worked all year to get to.

“The amount of work my dad has put into the car and I’ve put into making sure I’m doing what I should be makes me appreciate getting here even more,” said Jordan. “I’ve done this for almost 12 years now and to finally win the local race is such a huge accomplishment. Getting to Akron is rewarding and such an all-around great experience.”

“Advancing to Akron means so much more when we put in so many hours of hard work all year long,” said Brown. “Our focus is ‘the big race’ all year round. It really starts in August and runs through the end of May and to end that journey each July in Akron at the World Championship competing against the best races in the world is a feeling that is hard to describe. Knowing you’re among the best at what you do is what makes it all worth it.”

Both racers have competed against each other throughout the season and navigated their own paths to Akron. For Jordan, she punched her ticket to Derby Downs by winning the Wayne County Soap Box Derby, barely edging out Brown to clinch her first local title.

“That meant more than I could even put into words,” said Jordan. “We’ve been working towards this for so long that finally winning is such an accomplishment, and the look on everyone’s faces was priceless.”

For Jordan, her biggest obstacle to getting to Akron was finding the time to race between working two jobs and raising her son. The struggle was tough, but she found the time to get on the track, continue to hone her craft and she added another priceless memory through it.

“I’ve been doing this for 12 years now and I’ve done lots of races and made many memories,” said Jordan. “As for the one that stands out so far, most was definitely my most recent win. The look on my dads face, the feeling of pure happiness and adrenaline when I heard I won was the proudest moment of my life.”

Now Jordan will be competing in the World Championship Race on Saturday with the Super Stock racers that won their local races.

With all the festivities going on, Jordan could be hard pressed to keep that same focus that got her there, but also feels the reinforcement to stay on track.

“I have to keep my eye on the prize,” said Jordan. “I try my hardest to remain positive and focused, but sometimes being in such a welcoming environment and people who have seen me grow up, you can get distracted. Also though, those are the same people who encourage me to remain focused and get out there and try to win.”

And then there is also more work to be done.

“Our main focal point is the tail weight,” added Jordan. “Every track is different so you have to adjust to the track. We also do torque adjustments and there are so many things you could change on a derby car to prepare for a race, but those are what we focus on.”

She won’t have to look far for support or help as her father Warren, will be nearby to help and make sure her car is ready to jet down the track.

“My dad is my biggest inspiration,” said Jordan. “He’s been such a trooper over the years, through attitude and failure he’s never wanted to give it up. He’s a SBD local champ himself, he’s always pushing me to do better and not just in Soap Box but in life. He’s a huge inspiration to me and he deserves more than I could ever give him.”

For Brown, she has been doing Soap Box Derby for eight years and has experienced the thrill of standing on the stage at the All-American Soap Box Derby. In 2021, she finished ninth at the All-American Soap Box Derby, earning her a thrill that still stands out.

“Getting ninth in the world at the All-American is a memory that stands out,” said Brown. “Standing on that stage and receiving that large trophy is a feeling I will never forget.”

She punched her ticket to the All-American Soap Box Derby and Derby Downs this year by way of total points as she finished runner-up to Jordan in their local race. In a season that saw her and her family rack up the mileage as they competed in races as far away as Georgia and as close as Akron. Most races consisted of two races on Saturday and two more Sunday as she finished her season racing in 45 events to earn her 953 points for second place in the country standings.

This year presented Brown with more challenges as they have several cars that they use based on the environment. Doing this has presented her and her father Dave (Brown) with more decisions and stuff to work through.

“Selecting the proper chassis and proper weight placement is never an easy decision when you're at a track that's new to us,” added Brown. “While as challenging as it is, it is so much of the fun as well and working through these challenges is super gratifying when it ends in a win.”

For Brown, she attributes the success to her family and calls it a family effort.

“My parents, my grandparents and my friend Lisa (Weiler) who travels and races with us all play a role in this adventure,” said Brown. “Everyone adds their own little bit, and I couldn't have this level of success without everyone working together.”

Ultimately, that success has landed them back to Akron and the All-American Soap Box Derby. Still their focus will be on the details of their car, the track, the environment and what they need to do, to have the best chance for more success.

“Dad and I spend hours in the garage fine tuning my car for race week, before we take it to Akron,” said Brown. “We look at every nut and bolt making sure no detail is overlooked, because everything matters when you're racing against the best racers in the world.”

As for handling the festivities, Brown repeated the same focus that Jordan cited: ‘keep her eye on the prize.’

“You have to remember what you are there for and that is to race your absolute best,” added Brown. “We have worked all year for this, so you just need to focus despite all the fun events with friends that I have made from all over the country.”

Brown will also be competing in the Three Lane Challenge on Wednesday and the World Championship Race on Saturday for the Super Stock points racers. The Three Lane Challenge, Brown pointed to as a warmup race for the Big Race on Saturday that is fun and for bragging rights. It also provides racers with a chance to compete against others from across the country and the world.

Ultimately, both Jordan and Brown will look to cap yet another thrilling season on Soap Box Derby’s biggest stage, the All-American Soap Box Derby. It’s where a season of adjustments, a lot of time, sweat and work, and struggles are all made worth it.

One last race to close out the season, where the lights are the brightest.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Two locals to race in All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron